Attention has been directed toward functions specific to nanostructure that do not develop in microstructure. For example, as an optical phenomenon, known are light diffraction, light scattering derived from light diffraction, refractive index conversion in an effective medium approximate, photonic crystal, optical confinement and the like. Further, optical additional functions such as the surface plasmon and dressed photon are also reported. Moreover, phenomena such as the surface area multiplying effect and strengthening of Lennard-Jones potential are also reported. By exploiting such a function specific to nanostructure, there are possibilities for achieving a high-efficient semiconductor light emitting device (LED and OLED), fuel cell, solar battery, photocatalyst, trace substance detecting sensor, superhydrophobic surface, superhydrophilic surface, slippery surface typified by SLIPS (Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces), water collecting surface, water vapor collecting surface, anti-icing surface, anti-snow surface, antireflection surface, adhesive sheet without adhesive agent, radio feed, miniaturization of device and the like. Therefore, attention has been directed toward techniques for performing nano-processing on a target object itself and techniques for forming a layer having a desired nano-function on a target object.
Patent Document 1 discloses techniques of photocurable nanoimprint for performing nano-processing on a target object. In other words, a photocurable resin is used as a liquid functional raw material, and a functional layer to perform nano-processing on a target object is provided on the target object. In Patent Document 1, a predetermined photocurable resin is applied on a target object, and next, a concavo-convex structure of a mold is bonded and pressed to the photocurable resin film at a pressure ranging from 5 to 100 MPa. It is described that subsequently, the photocurable resin is cured, the mold is finally removed, and that it is thereby possible to obtain the target processing product provided with a functional layer to perform nano-processing on the target object.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses techniques for processing a target object while adopting the techniques different from those in Patent Document 1. In Patent Document 2, an imprint material is applied onto a target film (target object), and next, a concavo-convex structure of a template is bonded. Subsequently, the imprint material is cured, and by removing the template, the concavo-convex structure is transferred onto the target film. Next, a mask is filled into concave portions of the transfer-formed concavo-convex structure, and the imprint material is processed. Finally, the target film is processed by regarding the left imprint material as a mask. In other words, by using the imprint material as a liquid functional raw material, the functional layer to perform nano-processing on the target object is provided on the target object (target film). In Patent Document 2, a predetermined imprint material is applied onto the target object, and a concavo-convex structure of a template provided with the concavo-convex structure on its surface is bonded.